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Commentary: Haste can lead to dangerous choices

In the YouTube generation, many believe they deserve 15 seconds of fame or in the search for scoring a "viral video" hit.

Going viral means to post a video on the Internet and have it become an overnight hit via a video sharing site.

Such is the case Monday night in Philadelphia during a St. Louis Cardinals-Phillies baseball game.

A 17-year-old fan decided to run onto the outfield during the eighth inning of the Major League game. Unfortunately, he was a bit faster than the few security people who were chasing him.

Then a Philadelphia police officer pulled out, pointed and shot his Taser gun, quickly putting the fast-running teen down on the ground. The teen was then taken into custody and removed from the field.

It was definitely a shocking experience for the young man, who has now been charged with disorderly conduct and defiant trespass. He has since apologized and does regret his actions, according to his mother.

Of course, some quickly raised concerns about over-reaction or even police brutality. The Philadelphia police commissioner defended his officer's actions as just.

There are some justifiable concerns, as a Taser can be dangerous to use. It can be deadly. Amnesty International reports that 334 deaths have been linked to the use of Tasers.

Major League Baseball is monitoring the issue, but the security remains a local team issue.

When another fan ran onto the field Tuesday night at the Philadelphia baseball game, security did not use a Taser and the fan soon surrendered without incident.

Sometimes a little patience will keep you off the late night highlights.